Saturday, January 10, 2009

Where's My Hero?

by Christine Wells

At a recent writers' festival where Anna Campbell and I sat on a panel about historical fiction, a man in the audience asked us what was the appeal of Regency-set historical romance. Anna instantly quipped: "Men in Boots".

Now, of course that was a (largely) flippant reply, but I will be the first to admit it is part of the appeal.

Having heard from wonderful writers like Jenny Crusie and Anne Gracie how effective collaging has been for their creative thought processes, I gave it a try for The Dangerous Duke. I'm not sure I have the hang of it yet, but it certainly helped capture the mood of the story. I'd look at the chart I'd made and fall into that world--a welcome change from staring at a blank page.

I often envy contemporary writers their ability to walk into a thrift shop or somewhere and say 'oh, that's the jacket my heroine wears in the first scene'. You can touch the fabric, try it on to see how it would fit across someone's shoulders. As an historical writer you can't do things like that so easily, unless you live near collections of period garments or stately houses. I should be so lucky!

Finding pictures of Men in Boots for my collages is a challenge. I want men who look like they could be a hero in my novel, or even a villain. The typical male model you see in magazines is tanned and muscled from gym workouts which sculpt him into a different shape from an English aristocrat of the Regency era, no matter how much riding, fencing, manual labor, etc the aristocrat might have done. And let's face it, many models, however gorgeous, have absolutely nothing going on behind their eyes. They don't project the sort of personality you want in a hero.

Usually, I look for actors in period dramas for my collage heroes. And thanks to the resurgence of Austen and Bronte adaptations, there's an increasing number of images to be found.

Most often these men don't really look like my hero at all. There might be an expression, an aura, a tilt of the head that's just right, however, and that's enough.

If you're a writer, have you tried collaging? How has it worked for you? If you're a reader, who would you cast as hero in your favourite romance? URLs if possible, please, so we can check them out--ahem, I mean judge whether they are of the right calibre for heroes in a romance.

One random winner will score chocolate and a signed copy of The Dangerous Duke.

150 comments:

ChristineI am drooling over these pictures very nice.Hugh Jackman is someone I would use I loved him in Kate and Leopold and I too love the boots the men wear in the regency times you gotta love those tight pants and boots.

I've never collaged, and I am only just beginning to use pictures for my heroes/heroines, and I don't use them for every one.

It's been a very random process for me. My first time was actually on the airplane back home from Nationals in San Francisco. (Santa-you were on that plane with me! Are you out there?) I was freezing and having trouble concentrating on my research book. Someone had left a Vanity Fair in the seat pocket and I picked it up and randomly flipped through. Bang! I saw this picture and thought--oh my gosh, that's Annalise! It was a model who looked just like my mental image of theheroine I was currently writing. I ripped that page out and took it home and it really did help me as I was writing.

So I started looking through magazines more after that, with an eye to character, and I found my next hero:

Then there's this guy from an Australian series, but I can't find his picture, because I don't remember his name or the name of the series. In this series he is this guy who was raised by aboriginals, because his parents had died. Eventually he becomes a cop and because of his different childhood, he has some skills that others don't have. In that series there was also a German actor, whom I've seen also in some Canadian series that was based on L.M. Montgomery's book.

Great pictures, I mean blog, Christine. Men is boots with swords-- very sexy!

I have my collage right in front of me until the cat knocks it down with that darn tail of hers. It was the first time I did one. My local chapter had a meeting a few months ago where we did collages and it was fantastic. Now I'm hooked.

I was unfamiliar with collaging until I attended Cherry Con in 2007 and Jenny Crusie had a session on it. Her own story collages are amazing, but then, she's an artist.

I hadn't put a word of fiction on paper at that point, so the collage I did was all about a story that was still in my head, and therefore sucked. Last summer I did a collage (more of a montage, really -- all photos and paper images, no other media or fancy stuff)of my first completed story, and it came out really well. Too bad the story didn't turn out as well as the collage; in its early stages, it finaled in several contests, but I can't get the darn thing right. I think the collaging process helped me see some weak spots in the story, though. It's weird how it works, but it does help you get a clearer image of the story.

I was quite distracted by you collage of heroes and had to read it a second time. :)

As much as I've loved seeing how others use collages to help them stay in their stories, I find I'd rather just write. BUT I do like to look my men up on line to refresh my brain as to what they look like.

Current heroes:Quinn: Russel Crowe in 3:10 to Yumahttp://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200709/20070907ho_2yuma_500.jpg

Hawke: Eric Schweig in The Last of The Mohicanshttp://members.tripod.com/pebbles62/Lotm.gif

Congrats on the GR, Helen! Love the pictures and this post, Christine!

Hm :\ links - no time for that - but often for a number of romances, the description fits Raoul Bova [at least in my mind ;)]

Recently I've been watching "Rome" - and there's a bit of eye candy there... though I haven't read many (any?) romances set in the Greek/Roman time period. (I think it'd be really tricky, and I prefer regency.) Though the actor Simon Woods (older Octavian) was also Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice.

Christine - Bless you for this post! Love the men you selected and am enjoying visiting the urls of all the ones posted. Thank God for my color printer (grin).

I don't collage. I made a shadow box once of my WIP and had great fun doing it. I found all sorts of interesting symbols to represent the yet unwritten subplots and themes. But once it was created - I had no desire to write the book. All the magic was gone. So I don't tempt faith any more by collaging -

BUT I still like to look at pictures of possible heros. As you mentioned, all it takes is the lift of a brow, the tilt of a head, to make me yearn for all that is implied in that simple expression. Gotta love body language. So takes for all the help!

BTW, I must admit I love those long coats that men wore in the regency period...and cowboys in Westerns (dusters). I even bought something on-line called a Darcy coat which is long in the front (but not in the back - not sure I like that). Books, long coats - and hey - that open down the chest shirt pic in your post ain't too bad either (snicker).

Christine, I don't go for collages. Free association works better for me than tracking down pictures, but these guys on your blog are great!

You raise an interesting point about buff models' physiques versus bodies of Regency lords, and it's interesting that you use the illustration of Clive Owen as Arthur. I've seen him on talk shows, and he's not a buff hunk. He's an extremely attractive man but not in the mold of, say, Hugh Jackman--another attractive and skilled actor with, as you note, something going on behind his eyes.

Minna, I haven't seen the series you mention, but the character sounds like Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, from the late Arthur Upfield's mystery series. Our friends from Oz probably know a lot more about it than I do. I think they're out of print now, but I enjoyed them immensely.

I find other people's collages interesting, but I too find that it takes too much creative energy for me to do one. What I do that I find useful is an adaptation of the video collage one of the Noodlers blogged about last year. I'm not so much interested in a face (or body) for my hero and other characters (who are sharply imaged in my mind) as I am particular moments that I need to see more clearly. So I created a video montage of such moments--a wedding toast, a father dancing with his daughter, a child at her grandmother's knee, a couple strolling on the beach, etc. It helps when I just can't get a certain scene right. I have not a single face for my hero, but dozens of different faces, so I can superimpose this one's laugh, this one's introspection, this one's curled lip on the face in my head.

Diane Gaston posted some links she uses, and I use these links frequently. The Gilla Roos link even lets you specify age range, ethnicity, and coloring. I should write Diane a thank you note.

Since she posted them on a public site, I don't think she minds sharing them. (The comments are hers.)

Christine, I don't think I mentioned it earlier, but one of my fellow Washington Romance Writers does a fabulous collaging for writers workshop. Her name is Elizabeth Holcomb and she's published Scottish historicals. The collaging workshop is held sacred at the WRW Retreat and everyone loves it!

Oooh, nice work, Deb, sister mine! Love the piercing blue eyes and I can't wait to read the next story! I was worried if I looked, I'D end up writing a book about him, too. *g*

Interesting...When I was at San Fran I saw an Armani male fragrance ad that had my hero for the last book on it. Never found him again. Sigh. Sounds like once again we were having similar experiences at roughly the same time....

Margay, it's interesting all the different processes writers have, isn't it? I don't tend to do much peripheral stuff besides the writing and editing because I never really know my characters until they walk on the stage. But so many well-respected writers advocate collaging I decided to give it a try and not be so close-minded. It worked--I picked photos that had energy and danger and sensuality and I really felt that adrenalin and exictement when I stared at it. Hopefully, it translated into THE DANGEROUS DUKE!

Keira, Ioan is all yours! Loved him in Captain Hornblower. Can you think of a hero he's like? Or have you written a hero like him? I think he'd have to be a thoroughly good fellow, with integrity to burn.

I always try to find photos to put in my "book" about my novel. It is a notebook I keep with every little note I have written about my book, family trees, photos of houses, dresses, furniture, you name it. I have character sketches in it as well. I call each one the "Bible" for that particular novel.

For The Raven's Heart I have this handsome fellow as Tristan Monticourt, the hero.

Hey, Helen, he's obviously missing his Tim Tams. Or he's running as far away from P226 as he can get! Congratulations!

Christine, what a GORGEOUS post. And I use that word advisedly. That photo of Rufus is just lovely. Is that from A Life of her Own, the courtesan movie which I think was released in the States under a different title? Anyway, drool. And drool to Richard. And drool to whoever that first pretty guy was and to Clive. In fact, just DROOL!!!

Oh, the collaging question. I tried it once for the Manderley book that now has a name, CAPTIVE OF SIN. My hero has a very complex backstory set in India so I found pics of things like peacocks and Indian palaces. But it didn't really work for me. I think I was letting my conscious mind guide me too much and I also think it's that thing you talked about about a lot of male models having nothing going on behind the eyes. You've read Captive of Sin - there's plenty going on under that gorgeous exterior, as you'll remember! It could also be that I'm a predominantly auditory writer so I hear them first. I find it much more inspirational to use music to find that mood for writing.

Minna, I think it's Boney which was a huge hit in Australia in the 70s. He WAS rather hot. His name was James Laurenson, I think. I was lucky enough to see him as the director (you're going to come back a star!) in 42nd Street when I was in London in the mid-80s. I suspect he's getting on a bit now!

Margay, I do indeed remember you telling me about Alex O'Loughlin. Fo wipes away more drool from her chin.

Girls, this is all a bit much for the blood pressure at 7:30 in the morning!!!

JT, that first picture is Henry Cavill, who played Charles Brandon in a recent series called The Tudors.

And no, they don't have to wear boots! They can wear sandals...

Care to share your pics? I tend to find my heroes after the fact, too. I wouldn't find the pic first and then write about the hero. I don't think my imagination works that way. I keep a collection of faces and look through them after I've created a character to see if any of them fit.

Oh, Minna, you're right. I'd forgotten about Cameron Daddo doing the remake. At one stage, you couldn't turn the TV on in Australia without coming across one of the Daddo boys! They were just everywhere!

Treethyme, wow, you went to a Cherrycon? That must have been a lot of fun. Great to hear you found the collaging process helpful. Best of luck with the writing! You'll get better and better, don't worry.

Interesting you should mention Dempsey because he's one of the few American actors I can see in an historical. Very nice in velvet and lacing, isn't he?? I must see Enchanted. I think it would be right up my alley!

Christine - Cherry Con was life-changing for me. Until then, I'd only thought about writing fiction. I came home from Cherry Con, invested in a badly needed new computer, and have written 500,000 words since then (some of it my non-fiction-writing day job, the the majority of it was fiction).

Suz, I can understand just wanting to write. That's how I am most of the time because I don't really have time for anything else. I will do one for this next book, though. I feel like I need it because I have so many scenes I want to write swimming in my head and I need to find a path through it all. I think a collage will help my brain sort it out.

Thanks for the urls. I couldn't get the first one to work, but the other was verrry nice.

Yeah, Minna, there's a whole clan. Andrew was a popular host of a few shows and now writes children's books, I believe. He wasn't, however, quite as pretty as Cameron. I think there was another one too. Christine might know.

Hi Donna, you've just described my problem with plotting a book--the book is already written when I'm finished and there's no discover left any more. I think you probably need to be more random and less conscious about collaging for it to work. It's harder for historicals, because images of historical stuff aren't everywhere, as they are for contemporaries. You can't just flick through a magazine and see a piece of jewellery your heroine might wear. But of course everyone does things differently!

And you're welcome for the hero pics:) I know it's a bit puerile but it really is part of my process, so I thought I'd share:)

Nancy, you're right about Clive Owen-yet somehow he seems infinitely more manly and tough than many of his muscular, baby-faced colleagues. There's a ton of character in that face. He's one of the few actors I could see cast as Lyle in THE DANGEROUS DUKE.

Janga, I agree, in a collage or montage, those moments throughout the novel are very important, too. On my collage I have the progression of both the plot and the romance done in particular moments, going down the page, so I can see how each character starts and how they slowly get drawn together. A video montage sounds like a great idea, too. Something in the movement would really work well, I would imagine. Did you do a soundtrack as well? That would add to it, too. Wish I knew how to do things like that.

Thanks so much for posting those links, they're fantastic! Thanks to Diane Gaston, too!

Louisa, what a lovely couple! Goran has an interesting face, hasn't he? And I think Liv Tyler is one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Amazing the way she looks like her daddy but SO much prettier.

You should keep those bibles of yours. They'll be worth a lot one day!

Fo, I don't know which movie the Rufus pic was from, though no doubt you're right about its provenance.

As for collaging--I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone. I'm usually against anything that doesn't involve BICHOK (butt in chair hands on keyboard) but the collaging helped that one time. i didn't do it for Wicked Little Game but I'll probably have a go with my next book.

Seriously, whatever you're currently doing is working for you, believe me!

Treethyme, what an inspiring story. I'm sure Jenny would be pleased to know Cherrycon worked such wonders for you.

I think you have the right idea--with quantity, quality will come. So many people try to improve their writing without actually writing. You have to be on the right track if you've got that many words down and you're prepared to think about craft and how you can improve. Good luck!

Jo, Gerard Butler has amazing charisma, doesn't he? When I saw him in PS I love you, he reminded me of Mel Gibson in that way. I think he'd be a great historical hero--maybe not a refined era like the Regency--more a Tudor hero or medieval. Arthur would be a good one, too, but I think I'd like to see him in a part that involved a bit of a twinkle in the eye, too!

Sorry, Jo! I should have explained what I meant by collaging a story. I've probably left a lot of people in the dark.

It's a kind of free association, where you flick through magazines, online pictures, etc and think about your story in a general way. Just collect pictures that resonate with you, not necessarily ones that reflect the story literally. For instance, my heroine in The Dangerous Duke writes about a fantasy lover in a diary, so I have lots of romantic pictures of diaries, but I have dreamy pictures, too, that represent the ephemeral nature of her dreams rather than the literal. I also have couples who don't look like my hero and heroine at all, but who are relating to each other in a particular way that I'm aiming for in the story. There's a very hostile pose at the start and by the end, there's a LOT of passion.

It's a tool that works on the subconscious, both to help plot the story and to get you in the mood to write it. Some people use music that way, or even scented candles. I know it sounds airy fairy but it can help!

This is a great blog and yummy pics. I DO collage. I actually can't write without it. My characters won't reveal their deepest darkest secrets until I "find" them, stick them on a collage with other things that catch my eye (even if they have nothing conscious to do with the story, if it nudges my inner artist while I'm thinking about my story, I cut it out and put it on the collage), then I ask them questions and stare at them a while and when I start writing, new stuff comes out that I didn't know was there before. It's weird, but it's effective. It's a great tool for story problem-solving for me.

Getting the time to do it--to search the magazines and put the collage together--is a matter of discipline now. I enjoy it, but it doesn't "seem" like work--it doesn't seem as though I'm writing, as it seems more like play, so I tend to put it off, even though I know it works. Self defeating, that.

BTW: I'm not a Johnny Depp fanatic the way some of the Banditas are, but that's a great shot of him on the cover of that film.

I honestly just want to see Wanted because McAvoy's in it too LOL It's that bad hmm... interesting... I've heard good and bad things about the movie... but I'll still see it just to see what I think...

I also haven't gotten the chance to see Atonement or Becoming Jane yet (McAvoy stars in both) but I want to see them really badly lol... I've heard great things about both those films...

Yes, I've always liked Brendan Fraser... he's funny, but also serious when he needs to be. LOVED him in The Mummy movies (my favorites) and Journey To The Center Of The Earth

I'm so sorry to chime in late today! It looks like you've hosted a knock-out party, though, Christine!

I tried collaging once. I ended up with some pictures of my main characters, a chicken in a chef's hat & a bulldog. I'm not sure what the animals were doing there but the story got written & I enjoyed looking at the pics. :-)

One of the big drawbacks in my opinion of writing contemporary is the serious lack of men in boots. Just looking at the pictures on the front page here made me sigh with envy.

Danie, it depends whether you like action flicks as to whether you'll enjoy WANTED. James has an American accent in it, too, which threw me a bit.

Saw Becoming Jane (he was lovely in that) and Atonement (fabulous, too). I enjoyed Atonement a lot better at the start than I did later on. Thought the war scenes just went on a little too long and of course, it's not a happy ending, but JMcA is fabulous from start to finish.

I'd like to see Fraser in a serious role. I've only seen him play comedy.

Susan, I knew there was a reason you had such affinity with the Golden Rooster.*g* A chicken made it to your collage!

Actually, I'm surprised that it works for me. I'm usually quite a pragmatic person and I don't like anything that distracts me from getting my wordcount, but the visual cues work well. Strangely (or not) when Jeanne analyzed my workspace she commented that I don't like to have visual distractions while I'm writing. It's true--I have a collage but I put it away when I'm finished looking at it and then I go and write. I don't have it in front of my while I work. OK, I'm just weird.*g*

Yes, artsy fartsy is probably accurate, Jo! But if you try it and keep an open mind you might find it helps. It's best if you don't try too hard to make everything a concrete representation of the story as you already know it. There's more potential in the images that are just there because you have a good feeling about them but you don't know how they fit--if that makes any sense.

The movie Brotherhood of the Wolf had two actors I could see as heroes. Samuel Le Bihan and Mark Dacascos are very much hero material IMO. It's a period piece set in 18th century France. Here's the link for pics from the movie.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237534/mediaindex

Danie88, Fraser does and OUTSTANDING job in the film Gods and Monsters with Sir Ian McKellan. And the best part? Lots of scenes with Brendan shirtless! It is a great movie and great role for him. Of course Sir Ian is good in anything!

Hi Pat! Another vote for David Boreanz, yay. I have a soft spot for Hugh--who doesn't? I think maybe he could be an explorer or something. He did play Leopold in Kate & Leopold, didn't he? I'll have to watch that movie also.

Keira, I have Amazing Grace on my to be watched list. I always miss movies as i never seem to get to the cinema and then I forget about them when they come out on DVD. Thanks for reminding me. Curly hair, huh? I wouldn't have guessed! My dh has curly hair but these days he never lets it grow long enough to really curl.

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